Wheel bearing assemblies for vehicle axles are well known in the art. Wheel bearings may take various configurations, from a separate bearing unit that is mounted on a wheel hub assembly, to a partially integrated bearing unit, in which an inner or outer ring (and associated raceways) of the bearing is integrally formed with a wheel hub, to a fully integrated bearing unit that has both inner and outer rings (and associated raceways) integrally formed with a wheel hub and U.S. Pat. No. 7,806,597, for example, discloses a wheel bearing design of the latter type, having a hub with integrally formed raceways on an outer diameter, which is, in turn, rotatably supported by rolling elements and a mounting flange with integrally formed raceways on an inner diameter, mounted to a vehicle.
In addition to various wheel bearing configurations, wheels may be driven or passive. A driven wheel is actively driven by force transmitted from an associated engine. Passive wheels follow the forward/reverse motion provided by the actively driven wheels in a vehicle. Structural variations and design differences may result from the differing functions of a wheel assembly. For example, a driven wheel hub may include a splined inner diameter through which a mating splined drive shaft may be inserted, transferring force through the splines into rotational motion of the associated wheel hub. In turn, a passive wheel hub may include additional structural support through the inner diameter of a hub, as there is no supporting driving member inserted through the assembly, as is the case with a driven assembly.